25YL “Best Of” Survey Results!

If you build it, they will come.

Well, we built it, and 572 people stopped by to fill out our Best Of survey last week! People from all walks of life, all over the world, joined together to share their views and opinions of the amazing experience that we all shared this summer.

This is hardly a scientific analysis, but it is a snapshot of where the Twin Peaks community was in the days immediately following the finale. In many cases, clear winners emerged early and never gave up their leads; in other cases, the final winners eked out victories after battling all week with two or three other top dogs. And while we knew the answers that would probably come out on top when we were drafting some of these questions, we were still pleasantly surprised by some of the responses that won—it just goes to show you that this fan community (like Twin Peaks itself!) is still full of secrets.

All in all, we’re very pleased with the way it all turned out! Thank you to everyone who participated and to those who took the time to send us their final thoughts about the series! Who knows? Maybe in a few years’ time we’ll be able to do this again for the next season of Twin Peaks!

“As I was way too young to watch the show when it originally aired, I am so grateful to have been able to experience this new season with the greatest fans in the world. I don’t believe we’ve seen the end of Twin Peaks.” — Melanie Mullen

“The Return has been so much more about the journey than the destination; I can’t wait to see how it ends and yet the fact that it must end is going to be sad. Big thanks to David, Mark and Kyle for bringing this (final?) dream to us.” — Simon Brake

“I’m still processing Part 18 and probably will for years to come; This show has captivated like none other and is an extreme rarity in TV.” — Chris O.

“The most disappointing part of The Return was Freddie and his deus ex machina green glove.” — Andy K

“A good question…’Which plot most deserves more closure/clarification?’ That’s what I’m asking myself now, with Audrey probably being in the lead” — Rez

“Seemed like a lot of it was filler and the Audrey storyline was tacked-on and purely fan service. I didn’t think it was brilliant like some did.” — John R Isidore

“Can we just pretend Part 18 never happened? This was a damned fine 17-part season.” — BD

“The finale was perhaps the saddest thing I’ve ever seen on film. Cooper is so damn sure he’s got it. He finds Laura in Odessa and even though she knows herself only as Carrie, he’s certain that once they reach Twin Peaks she’ll remember everything. But then she doesn’t. And then Sarah Palmer is nowhere to be seen. “What year is it?” Cooper is completely lost. Bob was just another spirit. Nothing Cooper’s done up to this point will matter in the greater scheme, because Judy, an even greater force of evil than Bob, exists in all of infinity, as Phillip Jeffries shows Cooper and Gerard earlier in the episode. Even if “Judy” or Sarah Palmer was at the house when they got there, what was Cooper’s plan? What could he have done to stop something so powerful as that? “We live in a dream” He dreamed a dream where he would come out triumphant and there would be a happy ending, but it’s only a dream. We live in the dream of our expectations only to wake up to an uncompromising reality that smashes those expectations. The idea that evil can be conquered is just a dream.” — Jamie McMillin

“I know the finale has upset many fans, but I do appreciate the open-ended way Lynch ends a story. It allows the audience to wonder, to think, to explore. For me, this means we can become participants in art instead of passive observers. As long as we dreamers keep dreaming, it never really ends.” — A. Young

“If that’s all, that’s all, and I’m okay with it. We could ask for more but Part 17 was a great conclusion and Part 18 is that cliffhanger that may or may not be ever resolved. But even if Season 4 never comes along, it was a great ride.” — Jon C.

“I was so happy when I found out it was coming back, and it was good. I enjoyed it. But it wasn’t twin peaks. It was a different animal entirely. Part of me loves that, and part of me hates it.” — PP

“Final thoughts are difficult. I truly feel like the finale was as if I had a relationship ending. I care so much for several characters and to no longer see them feels so empty. Thank you David and Mark for this amazing experience.” — Martine Kaye

“This summer has been a major highlight of my life just for the presence of Twin Peaks. I was born after the original run–didn’t see it until a couple years ago, after which…you know how it goes–and now I finally realize the full extent of the seismic shock Twin Peaks had on the television landscape back then. Everything about this experience was something never to be forgotten. We are the dreamers, and are eternally grateful to be such.” — Geoff B

“Twin Peaks is a triumph not only in artistic vision and groundbreaking TV, but in the way the community will stay engaged with it for years to come. It will always be relevant. The real Twin Peaks will never die.” — L.B.

“I truly loved everything about the return. Only loose end for me was Audrey just woulda liked more closure on her. It was an amazing journey TV will never be the same. I think lynch & frost were meant to create this during the age of social media adding cast interaction it heightened the experience. If it ends here i am greatly satisfied. If they choose to take us back again i’d be thrilled. I do hope they will dazzle us again whether it be twin peaks or something different.” — mcp

“I don’t know if we got what we wanted or if we got what we needed. When it’s all said and done, we got an experience I never thought we would, Twin Peaks back on the screen. So no matter the tiny pieces just yet, it’s the bigger picture that has filled my heart and confounded my brain.” — A.H.W.

“The Return was unequivocally the greatest eighteen hours of television any of us are likely to ever see in our lifetimes and the ONLY thing that could possibly destroy this fact would be if Lynch/Frost were to revive it for another season. I seriously hope both of them are sipping coffee in the Double R right now blasting “We Are the Champions” on the jukebox.” — Doug Hudson (@LoneResident)

“I’m still digesting, but no matter where my final opinion on the ending lands, this summer has been a gift that I’ve long wanted and never hoped to actually receive! Even better, finding a whole community of TP fans has been amazing! Until a year and a half ago, I thought I was one of the few who remembered the show. Turns out, I’m no where near the level of superfan that so many of you are! Thanks for all you have given me!” — Stacey Zitto

“I’m just incredibly grateful that we got another season, 26 years ago after FWWM I never imagined we would ever get more. And then for it to be so freaking awesome. I’ve been in tears every single day watching the episodes again and again.” — Richard

“The final scene is one of the most haunting in all of television history – I feel broken by the ending, but in a most wonderful way.” — David Busch

“Amazing 18 hours of television that, as Madchen Amick predicted a few months ago, broke the mould in television once again. Here’s to a season 4!” — Eamon Hanka